Hoisting apparatus



1,575,142 E. c. WILSON ET AL HOISTING APPARATUS March 2 Filed Des. 28, 1923 2 Seets-Sheet 1 March 2,1926. 1,575,142 E. C..WILSON I:TI"AL HOISTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1923 Patented Mar. 2, 1926i UNITED ST'ATES PATENT OFFICE.

EL IHU C. WILSON AND WILLIAM WEBSTEB WILSON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

HOIS'IING APPARA1US. L

Application filet! December .28, 1923.

To aZZ wlzom it may concern:

Be it known that' we, ELIHU C. WILSON and VILLIAM VBS1ER VILSON, citizens et the United States, and residents of the city of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have inventcd a new and useful Im13rovement in Hoisting Apparatus, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates gnerally to hoistv ing apparatus, and while the invention may be embodied in many difl'erent for1ns and used in various situations, it is particularly applicable to hoisting apparatus used in connection with the drilling of oil or artesian wells. Therefore -we have illustrated and Wlll desoribe the invention as applied to this particular use, but this is not tobe conStrued as li1niting the invention or restricting the broader claims appended hereto.

The invention may be applied with equa] advantage either to standard 01' rotary drilling rigs, but, for the sake 0f brevity, We Wlll confine this description t0 a draw works installation wherein a winch or hoistinp dru1n is utilized for transniitting power from an engine toa rotary table, cat heads,'and cahles for raising and lowering drill or well pipe, etc. VVe will still furt-her narrow down the description to the performance of the hoisting apparacus in accomplishing a single task, namely,.that of l0W ering drill pipe or casing into a drill hole From this description of its use in a particular situation it will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art that the nention is equally efficacious in many other situations.

To better point out the utility and merit of our device, it will he well to discuss the usual type of hoisting appamitus and its i'ailings; for it is among the purposes otour invention to provide a hoist which shall have none of these failings.

At the top of each derrick is a'set of crown blocks, the hoisting cable l3eing rove first through these blocks and then through a traveling block from which the casingelevator depends. The free end of the cable is led from the crown block to the hoisting drum of the drawworks; and when the cable is intially wound on the dru1n it is nocessarily Wound loosely, there hein; no practica-' to it in.use. Andreven if thecable could 'Serial No. 683,190.

be wound tightly when first put on the drum, its subsequent use under varying loads tends to wind it comparatively loosely and then draw it up tight, as Will be explained.

Now assume that a jointor stand of casin has just been added to the string within the holo, that the string has been lowered and is suspended from the rotary table b v slips? andthe elevator released from the top 01 the string. thon rotated t0 wind up the cable and thereby lift the elevator t0 or.near the crown block in order that the next stand 01: casing may be picked up. The elevator, while ot considerable weight, is relatively light with respect to the string which it has just 10W- ered and also with respect to a single stand of pipe. and conseqnently the cable is W0und upon the hoisting drum in series of relatively loose coils, and, since the cable is rove through cronn and traveling blocks a numoer of times, there Will be several hundred ieet ont relatively. loosely wound cable on the hoisting .drum by the time the traveling hlock is at the top of the derrick. The ele vator is then applied beneath the uppermost collarof a new pipe stand, and the drum ro-- tated to elevate this stand sufficiently to allow its lowermost end to be swung into axial alinement With and threadably joined to the slip-suSpended pipe string.

In picking up the weight of this new stand, the drum first revolves sufiiciently to take up the slack of the loosely W0und coils. Then, after the new stand is screwed to the string, the entire string must be lifted to enable the slips t0 he withdrawn from the table bushing for the subsequent lowering of the string with the newly added stand. lVhen the weight of the entire string is first i1nposed on the table, naturally, the coils on the dru1n are still fuithei tigl1tened.

Now this initial loose winding and sul% sequent tightening or the coils is most har1n fui, for the coils in the outer Windings are draxvn tightly and wedged between the coils of inner windings, and there is relatively longitudinal movement between adjacent coils and adjacent windings due to the progressive tightening of the coils. These conditions soon result in the cables becoining chafed and worn to such an extnt that their nseful life, especially in deep well drilling, is not much over a month in length, and when it is considered that such cables are especially fabricated for the Purpose and hence 1nost The hoisting drum is- Cil expensive, it is evident that the ultimate cost of drilling a we11 is great1y increased due to this single factor of excessive cab1e wea1. Further, it constitutes a hazard as a worn cable 1nay lead to disastrous accidents.

We eliminate the above objectionable fea tures by the provision ct one drun1 or traction sheave 1501 applying the hoisting power to the cable and for controlling the lowering movement of the cao1e, and a second drum for storing up and paying out the cable as it is 1"ed tro1n the power drum. A drive connection from the first to the second d1un1 maintains the cab1e tant as it is Wound on the storage drum or reel so the1e isno like1ihood of 10050 winding, and {111 strains et hoist and lowering-away are taken by the power drurn. T11 3 effective diameter O the storage ree1 varies accordingly to the nnmber of windings upon it, and in order that the stcrage ree1 1nay revolve at just the proper speed to reel up the cable as it is fed from 'the power drum, the drive fro2n drum to drum is accomplished through a slig clutch mechanism, as W111 be presently described.

We also provide novel means for braking the two d1un1s with relatively varying deg1ees et force during paying-out periods, and also provide 1neans, active only during said periods, for otsetting the tendency of the reel to unwind cible faster than it is passed over the power drum. In other words the cab1e fron1 drun1 t0 ree1 is maintained in a tant condition at all tirnes; yet the strain is concentraced on the power drum and no slack is allowed to accumulate in the cable on the ree1. How this is accomplisned in connection with the illustrated embodiment of the invention will be understood from the following dctailed description, retcrence bein; had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a contracted side elevation of the hoisting agparatus, the shafts upcn which the revo1vable elements are 1nounted, beingshown in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan section on line of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 01 Figure 9.

Fi :l illustmtes a modified form of power drum or sheave. and id1ei; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevaLion of Figure 1.

As mentionedabove, we will 1inxt the description of the invention as embodied in the draw works et a rotary wel1 drilling 1ig but, as this is done 1nercly to more .definite1y point ont a typicalphysical eznb0diment ot the invention, following reterences to specific structures are not to be considered as limitations on the invention.

In the drawings,numeral designates derrick flooring lrom which tower tiznbs 11 rise. A horizontal sha;tt12 has bearing at 13 in tin1be1s 11, and driving power from a suitable source, for instance, a steam engine (not shown), is delivered to sprocket 1 1 on shaft 12 by chain 15.

A grooved traction sheave 16 is keyed t0 shatt 12 and held fro1n longitudinal movement therea1ong by collas 17; and secured to and disposed on opposed sides of sheavc 16 are brake drums 18. Brake bands 19 are anchored at 20 to the derrick flooring, thencc pass over dru1ns 18, and are secured at 21 t0 cranks 22 on sha1t 23, which shait is journa1ed in floor bearings 2 1. A brake lever 25 on sh'azt 23, is adapted to be swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, to

rock shat 23 and thereby contract bands 19 L about dru1ns 18 for efl'ecting the application of braking fozce to the sheave.

The hoisting cab1e C 1eadg clownwardly from the crown blocks (not shown) at the top of the cerriclg and thence about sheave 16, as c1e-arly shonn in Figure 1. T 11e cab1o is tliei1 trained o\er id1er 96 on shaft 52T, this shat't being supportcd between timbers llat a point above sheave 16. The principal function of idler 96 is to insure suflicient extent of traction contact between cable C and sheave 16.

Cab1eC leads from idler 26 to a storztge ree1 o1 drum 28 which is keyed to shaft 29, this shaft being jomnaled at 30 in fluor standards 31 and held from longitudinal movement by the engagement of collars with said standaids.

Now the function of reel 28 is to store up and payent cable as it comes from, 01' 1s taken out by sheave 16, and We Will now describe the means employed foi maintaining the course et cable fro1n sheave to ree1 in a tant condition, whether being taken up or payed ont, so the cab1e coils are always even1y and snugly wound about the reel. Ths ree1 may be apt1y termed a puy out and take up 1eel while that portion 01 the cao1e which extend from sheave to ree1 ma; be teuned tue intemnediace course of the cab1e.

First, let us consider the means for taking up cab1e on me] 98. A chain 33 is adapted to drive sprocket 34 on shaft 29 trom sprocket keyed lo shal't 12. Spiocket 3-1: ;:s s1na11er in diameter than sprocket 35 and is loose on shatt 2), there being a ratc1xet friction c1utch 36 for interniittemly establishing a drive betwcen sprocket 31 and its shafi. The ratio et sprockets 34 and is such that when the effective diameter of the 1'661 is less than the diameter of shcavc 16,

ciutch slips so the intermediate course is not under excessive tension and Will not cause thecoils to be drawn onto the reel with undue tightness.

Tlie ratchet friction clutch 36 may be of any suitable design, that shdwn in.the drawjngs being more or less conventional but serving to illustrate the working principle. Clutch plate 37, loose on shaft 29, is integral with sprocket 34 and carries a-cam lug 38 adapted to coact with complementary cam lug 39 on friction disk 40, also loose on shaft :29. Disk 40 is adapted to facially contact with friction disk 41 which is keyed to shaft Nowv hen sheave 16 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, to take in cable C, clutch plate 37 is rotated in the saine direction through the sprocket and chain drive previously described. This rotation of plate 37 causes a wedging coaction between ca1ns 38 and 39, and plate 40 is thereby pressed or biased, into contact with plate 41 .to frictionally drive shaft 29 and hence reel 28 in a clockwise direction.

As the effective diameter of reel 28 increases (due to the accumulation of 'cable windings thereon) the intermediate cable course is, of course, still controlled in its movement fro1n idler 27 by sheave 16, and acts t0 retard the forward rotation of the reel, slippage occurring between plates 40 and 41.

Now when allowing cable C to lower away under the weight of the traveling .block or well pipe connected thereto, sheave 16 rotates in a counter clockwise direction, as

viewed in Figure 1, and it is necessary that the drive connection between sheave and reel be inoperative during such rotation; otherwise, slack would accumulate in the intermediate course due to the sprocket ratio in the drive connection.

This desirable inoperative clutch condition is brought about automatically, for, when rotated in a counter clockwis'e direction, clutch plate 37 merely causes idle rotation of plate 40, without eau: action and therefore without the application of side pressure to frictionally engage plate 40 and41.

In order to hold back the counter clockwise rotation of reel 28 so it will not'unwind table fasterthan it is payed out by sheave 16, we provide a drag for the drum, said drag being in the form of ratchet friction This brake comprises a plate 43 brake 42. keyed to shaft 29 and having a cane lug 44 adapted to coact with cam lug 45 on friction disk46 Which is rotatively loose and longitudinally slidable on the-shaft. NOW when shaft 29 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, the, square shoulder of cana lug 44 1nerely engages the square shoulder of cam lug 45, se plate 46 is rotated with the shaft without effecting operative camengagement. When sl1aft 29 revolves in a counter clockwise direction, due to the pull of the cable when being lowered, the inclined face of ca1n lug 44 engages the inclined face of lug 45 'with the result that friction disk 46 is pressed or biased into facial engagement with brake plate 47 Which is secured to standard 31, thereby friction ally braking or imposinga drag on the reel.

W'hile Well casing is being lowered through the drilled hole, its movement is controlled by the application of braking force to sheave 16 through bauds 19 and drums 18, as previously described, and it is important, when sheave 16 is thus checked in its rotation, that the rotation of reel 28 be simultaneously checked; otherwise the inomntum or inertia of the reel would tend to carry it over with a resulting accumulation of slack in the intermediate course. ever, it is evi dent that the braking force exerted on the reel need not be as great as that exerted on the sheave, for, by our arrangement, the reel is relieved from the stresses and strains of load. Furthermore, this ratio of braking forces should exist by reason of the fact that, with the sheave rotating at a constant angular velocity, the reel rotates at variable angular velocity (due to the decrease.in its effective diameter as the cable is unwound therefrom) and there will be periods when the reel is necessarily rotating undesirable.

VVe accomplish the simultaneous braking of the sheave and reel by providing the reel with brake drums 48; brakc bands 49 being about the drums and secured at one end to floor staples 50 and at the other end to cranks 51 on rock shaft 52 which is journaled in floor bearings 53. On shaft 52 are cranks 54 which are connected by tie rods or links 55 to cranks 56 on shaft 93. IIow ever, the connections between cranks 54 and 56 are somewl1at flexible, for each link 55 made up of two rods joined by springs 57. Thus, Wlien lever 25 is swunQ in a manner to brake sheave 16, shaft 52 is rocked S0 as to contract bauds 49 about drums 48, but due. to the prtsence of springs 57, the braking force exerted on reel dru1ns 48 is necessarily less than that exerted on sheave drunus 18.

Of course, the yieldable element between the two sets of brake bauds may be other than showh witliout departing from the spirit and scope of our broader claims appended hereto. For instance, levers 54 and 56 may be yieldable with respect to their associated rock shafts. It is also possible to secure an unequal braking effeot on the reel Howand sheave brake drnms by varying their relative diameter or their relative areas of braking contact and thereby varying the. braking torque, but the method illustrated is prterable from a mannt'acturing standpoint as springs out varying strength may be ntilized to seonre adjnstment of the reel and sheave brakes with respect to each other.

We have also provided means for inde" pendently and positively braking reel'28 in the event drag* biake 42 or yieldable brakes 4iS, l9 shoald :ail to retard the rotation of the reel snflic'iently to prevent it :from overrnnning or gaining speed to such an extent that slack develops in the i1itermediate cable course. nclr1neans consists of crahk arn1 58 on Shat't tl1is arn1 being connected by rigid tie rod 59 to crank 59 Wlii0li is loosely jonrnald on shatt 23 and provided with au actnating lever 60. Bythis conneCtion, shaft 52 nia} be rocked to apply the b'rakes or reel 28 withont efiectirig the shezwe brakes. this liei1igr possible by reason of the fiezzble charact of tie rod In Figures l and 5 are ilinstrated niodifications o-f sheave 16 and idler 26. In the modifications, shes1ve 18 and idler 26 each have a plnialitj et gr0oves, the. cable C heing rov therethronQh in a "crise-cross tzishion, as cleail illnstr'ated in these fig- 1nes. By this arrangement the surface of contact between power sheavc and (fable is greatl incieased ver that existing in the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1.

Ne wish to make the reservation that the draivings and descriptions are to be conside1ed as nicrcly i1lnstrative of and not re strictive on the broader clitims appnded hereto, and we reserve t0 ourselves all soh changes in structure and design as lie within the scope of said clai1ns.

IIaring des'cribed a preferred form of our invention, we claim:

1. In a deii re of the character described, a driven shcz1ve, a reel for storing cable fed thereto by rotation et the sheave in one direction and adapted to pay ont said cable as the sheare rotates in the opposite direction, the red beirig totated by the with draWal et cable therefroin, means for checking rotation et the sheave, and ineans for checking rotation of the reel, one of said checkig means being adapted to be put into operation by rirtne et the pntting of the othcr into operation.

In a device of the character desoribed, a driven sheave, a reel for storing cable fed thereto by rotation of the sheave in (me direction and adapted to pay ont s'aid cable as the sheave rotates in the opposite direction, the rel being rotated by the withdraival of cable therefrom, a bi*ake for the sheate, a brke for the reel, and nifit2iry n1eaiis for controlling application of Said brkes,

3. In a device of the character described, a driver; shcave, a reel for storing cable ted thereto 10) rotation et the sheave in one direction and adapted to pay ont said cable the sheave iotates in the opposite direc tien the ree1 being rotated by the withdrawal of caole therefrom, a brake for the sheave, a brakc l'or the reel, and mems for siniultaneonsly applying said brakes, said ineans being et a nature whereby llu braking force exerted on the relis less than that exerted on the sheave.

l. In a device et the character described, a drivon shejave a real for storing cable fed thereto 'by rotation o;t the sheave in one direction and adapted to pay ont said cable as the sheaVe rotates in the opposite direction, the reel being rotated by the witlr draWal et cable therefrom, a brake for the sheave, a brake for the reel, means for manually applying the sheave brake,' and connectihg means between said aPplying 1neans and the reel brake, whereby application of the sheare brake is accompanied by SimultaneonS application of the reel brake.

5; In a device of the character described,

a diiven sheave, a reel' foi storing cable ted thereto by rotation of the sheave in one direction and adapted to pay ont said oable as the sheate rotates in the opposite direction, the ieel being rotated by the withdrawal et cable therefro1n, a brake for the sheae,- a b1ke for the i'eel, 1neans for mannally applying the sheave brake, and a flexible ooiiiction between said applying 1neans and the 'reel brake; whereby said brakes are simnltaneonsly applied, but with the exertion of lesS braking force on the reel than on the sheve.

6. In a device of the character describech a SheaVe r0ttable oppositely for taking in and paying ont cable, a storage ieel to which the cable extends frein the sheave, a friction drive for the reel and ope1able when the slieav is rotated in a direction to take in and :ted cble to the reel, means foi checking rotation of the -sheave, and ineans for cheeking rotation et the rel, both ()F said cheoking means beir'rg oprable When the sheave is rotated in a direction to pay ont caole; one of the checking ineans bQ ing adapted to be put into operatio'n by virtne O the Pntting of the other into operatio n;

7. In a deviee of the character described, a shcave rotatable oPpositely for taking in and paying ont cable, a storag'e reel to Which the cabl Xtef1ds fionr the shea've, a friction drive foi the reel and Operable when the sheaV'e is rotz1ted in a direction 'to take in and feed cable to the reel, inearis foichcking rotation et the Shte, and n1ans 'f'or checking rotation et the reeL both of said checling inea irS being' operble When the ShaVe 1S rotzrted in a direction to pay ont cable; one of the checking-means being adapted to be put into operation by virtue 01 the putting of the other into operation, and one of said checking means being adapted to cxcrt greater checking force than does the other.

8. In a devise ofthe character described, a sheave rotatable oppositeiy for.taking in and paying out cable, a storage reel to which the cable extends from the sheave, a friction drive for the reel and operable When the sheave is rotated in a direction to take in and feed cable to the reel, means for checking rotation of the sheave, means for checking rotation of the reel, both of said checking means being operable when the shcave is rotated in a direction to pay ont cabie; 0116 of the cheoking means being adapted 'to be put in operation by virtue of the putting of the other into operation; and a separate frictional retard automatically operable t0 retard rotation of the ree1 when the sheave is paying ont cable, said retard being operabie independently of said reel checking means.

9. In a device of the character described,

a sheave rotatable oppositely for taking in and pay1ng ont cab1e, a storage ree1 to Wh1Gh thc cable extends from the sheave, a fr1ct1on drive for the reel and operabie when the 30 sheave is rotated in a direction to take in and feed cab1e to the reel, means for checking rotation et the sheave, means for checking rotation of the ree1, both of saidchecking means being operable when the sheave 3 is rotated in a direction to pay ont cable: one of the checking means being adapted to be put into operation by virtue of the putting of the other into operation: a separate frictional retard operable to retard rota- 4 tion of the ree1 when the sheave is paying out (fable,- and n1eans adapted to net automatioally upon successive reversais in the common direction of sheave and 1eei rotation for rendering said frictional drive and 4 said separate retarding means reversely and aiternately operative and inoperative.

In witness that we daim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 3rd day of December 1923.

ELIHU C. VILSON. VILLIAM VEBSTER VILSON. 

